


Foresight is 20/25

by anna_chronistic



Category: Les Misérables (2012), Les Misérables (TV 2018), Les Misérables - All Media Types, Les Misérables - Schönberg/Boublil, Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, Javert needs glasses, Madeleine Era, Mistaken Identity, Or Is It?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:02:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21911896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anna_chronistic/pseuds/anna_chronistic
Summary: When  Javert is thought to have mistaken the mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer for a runaway convict, his colleagues suggest that he get his vision checked.
Relationships: Javert & Rivette (Les Misérables), Javert/Jean Valjean
Comments: 9
Kudos: 37





	Foresight is 20/25

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Masterofthebarricade](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Masterofthebarricade/gifts).



> I saw Masterofthebarricade's tumblr bio and decided to write that.

**17 November, 2008**

Javert was ready. He had all the evidence he needed to prove that the mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer was the escaped convict Jean Valjean. This included arrest records dating back to 1981, records of a name change in 2000, a scientifically extrapolated age progression photo of what he would look like after 8 years, and of course a video on his camera phone of the mayor removing a Mini Cooper from an injured man.

"Officer Chabouillet, I have some exciting news," Javert said. "I finally got a break in the case of a fugitive missing since 2000. I have compiled enough evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that mayor Madeleine is indeed the escaped convict Jean Valjean."

"Uhhh, they already caught the guy. A while ago." Chabouillet was confused.

"I'm sorry what?" Javert's eyes widened.

"Yeah, Jean Valjean is going to be tried in Arras. He claims his name is Henrique Champmathieu. It was on the front page of Yahoo news. You're the top cop on this force; I can't believe you don't know this," Chabouillet said, surprised. "And plus, Jean Valjean looks like the terminator, while M. Madeleine looks like a Sunday school teacher."

"With all due respect, sir, it concerns me that no one is looking at the mayor as a potential suspect. I saw this guy remove an entire small car from someone. I've only seen this abnormal level of strength once before, and that was in the 1990s with prisoner 24601."

"Oh please. Just because some random old dude is super jacked doesn't mean that he's Valjean. Are there any other crazy ideas you want to throw at us, 'top cop'?" Chabouillet laughed. Javert blushed, a look of shock on his face.

"Perhaps you should get your vision checked," Chabouillet suggested, "'cause those two look absolutely nothing alike."

"Perhaps I was wrong then. I'm sorry for wasting your time," Javert sighed. He left the office, disappointed that he had done all of that work for nothing.

~~

"So how'd it go with the chief?" Rivette asked Javert.

"He said that my theory about Jean Valjean is crazy and that I should get my eyes checked."

"I agree," said Rivette.

"Wow, okay." Javert said. He was clearly not having a good day.

"Not on what he said about your theory, but about getting your vision checked."

Javert gave him a confused look. "Why do you think I need to get my vision checked?"

"Well, you're 43 and the font in the reports that you write is uncommonly large. And you were pretty subpar in the last target practice or two. Or five. Or seven."

"Shit, you're right," Javert said. "I guess I'll go to the optometrist. If only there was a way for police to wear glasses without looking like complete douches."

**18 November, 2008**

Javert never thought he'd be getting his vision tested at the optometrist, but there he was. They made him read letters on a faraway screen, shined lights in his eyes, and then had him look through an array of lenses.

"Well, monsieur Javert, it turns out that your vision is 20/25" said the optometrist. "That isn't bad per se, but I still recommend that you wear glasses. It'll sharpen your focus on things both nearby and far away."

Trying to convince a person whose vision is slightly below average to get glasses? That guy was trying to sell him something, and he knew it. It wasn't like he was a pilot in the military who needed to have 20/20 vision or better. Then again, Javert didn't really like being "below average", so this was kind of a losing game.

"I'll take the generic square frames," Javert said reluctantly. At least he didn't go for round glasses, or else he'd look like a turn-of-the-century businessman.

He looked at himself in the mirror, and what he saw disappointed him. It was like he instantly looked 10 years older. Instead of looking like a tough police officer, he looked like a librarian wearing a police costume for Halloween. Or even worse, he looked like his mother, with her dark hair, dark eyebrows, and square 1970s glasses. He might as well start reading tarot cards and speaking Romanian.

"That'll be 150 euros," the guy selling him the glasses said.

~~

Mayor Madeleine was in room 202 of city hall as per usual. Most days at the office were boring because he mostly used word processors on his PC laptop to write, and barely surfed the internet. That day he was drafting a letter to the department of building and safety to propose the construction of a new homeless shelter in the city. Then he heard a rapid knock at the door.

"Monsieur le maire," a low and stern voice said.

Valjean was startled by that knock and that voice, which sounded suspiciously like a cop. Had someone found out his secret?

"The door's unlocked, come in," said Madeleine.

There entered inspector Javert, but he looked slightly different this time. He had the uniform of a cop, but the ponytail and glasses of an old schoolteacher. That new part of his look caught is attention, and because of that their eyes met briefly. Madeleine had to look away quickly, for he had noticed before that the inspector had such beautiful eyes.

"I came here to apologize," Javert said.

"For what exactly?" the mayor was confused.

"I mistook you for an escaped prisoner from 8 years ago, and was up and ready to arrest you. And because of that, I believe that I deserve to get fired. You can tell the chief to fire me, I don't mind."

"I'm not sure that's in my jurisdiction," Madeleine said. "But that's besides the point. I don't think you deserve to be fired at all."

"Really?" 

"Yes. You are one of the smartest cops on the force, and your work is exemplary." Valjean knew that he literally was the smartest cop on the force, because he was the only one who was able to see through his façade as the mayor.

"Oh, alright then," Javert said. "If you don't want me fired, I guess that's okay." A long pause. "Alright I'll head out now."

"Um, inspector, when did you get your new pair of glasses, if I may ask?" the mayor was curious.

Ever since he was a prison guard in 1992, Valjean always thought that Javert had pretty eyes for someone who looked perpetually angry. And now that Javert was wearing glasses, it softened his look and made him notice it even more. Javert's eyes were a vivid blue color without a hint of gray. And they were quite large. It looked like he had chosen just the right lens design, the thick frames of his glasses matching his thick eyebrows. And how they rested on his long nose with a prominent bridge. And how his eyelashes were so long that they nearly touched the inside of his glasses. He should really stop daydreaming about a police officer that he barely ever sees!

"I actually got them today. After realizing my horrendous error of mistaken identity, I decided to get a vision test," Javert explained.

"How did you do? Was it that bad?"

"Yeah, 20/25. Apparently that means I can't be in the Air Force," Javert joked. "I think I look weird."

"Oh, you look fine. Your vision may be 20/25, but I think your foresight is 20/20," Madeleine said.

If only Javert knew.


End file.
